Removable handle construction for burial caskets



July 26, 1960 G. M. CLARK 2,946,113

REIMOVABLE HANDLE CONSTRUCTION FOR BURIAL. CASKETS Filed sept. 1v, 195s 4/ 43 26' INVENTOR.

42 3v ea're M Clan? fr' fin REMOVABLE HANDLE CONSTRUCTION FOR BURIAL CASKETS George M. Clark, Box 2, Brookville, Ind.

Filed Sept. 17, 1958, Ser. No. 761,596

2 Claims. (Cl. 27--27) The present invention relates to improvements in removable handle constructions for burial caskets, Aor the like, and is particularly directed to such a handle construction that is readily adjustable for mounting on burial caskets havingdifferent outside dimensions and configurations.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a removable handle construction for burial caskets that comprises four corner members connected together into a casket encircling frame by means of extensible handle members, each handle member being connected at its ends to adjacent corner members and longitudinally adjustable to the end that the frame can be readily adjusted to fit and be securely fastened to caskets having different length and width dimensions.

Another object of the invention is to provid'e a removable handle construction which may be applied to all kinds of burial caskets without the necessity of marring the exterior surfaces of such caskets with handle mounting brackets, lugs, or the like.

A further object of this invention is to provide a removable casket handle construction that -will be firmly mounted on all kinds of casket forms and which in mounted position will present an ornamental appearance to each individual casket; said construction being readily removable therefrom just before the casket is interred.

A further object of this invention is to provide a removable handle construction having corner members that form bases on the exterior of the casket for mounting ornate corner plates which add to the extrinsic value of an otherwise inexpensive burial casket.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in a novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts and members shown in illustrative examples in the accompanying drawings, described in the following speciication and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a fragmental, side elevational view of a burial casket having my removable handle construction applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a corner portion of the casket handle construction shown in Figs. l and 2, parts thereof being shown in section.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of the corner plates for the removable handle construction shown in Figs. 1-3 of the drawing.

Fig. 5 is a fragmental view` similar to Fig. 2 showing a modiiied form of a corner plate for my removable handle construction.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view showing one of the adjustable mounting means for ymy casket handle.

The burial casket illustrated in the drawings is conventional in form and is generally indicated by the reference numeral 10. The burial casket illustrated in Figs. 1-3 of the drawing is octagonal in plan whilst the casket indicated in Fig. 5 is rectangular in plan, said caskets nited States Patent "ice ",'orremoved fromsaidcasket.

l 2,946,113 :Patented July 26, 1960 having upstanding side walls v11--11 and end Walls 12-412 13 of the octagonal caskets are ared upwardly towardv the open top of the casket body thus having the forms of an inverted, truncated cone, whilst the corners 13 on substantially all of the rectangular caskets, illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawing, also are upwardly toward the open top of the casket body. A small percentage of the octagonal and rectangular casket bodies have Vertical corner wall portions but all of these styles have moulding projecting from the upper ends of the corners thereof.

In accordance with the present invention and with respect to Figs. l4 vof the drawings the handle construction comprises four corner plates 17 which are identical in construction; one of said corner plates being shown in detail in Fig. 4. Each of the plates bears against the upwardly ared, flat unobstructed portion of the exterior face of a casket corner 13 that lies above the lower moulding 15. Each plate 17 has opposed ears 18 and 19 projecting therefrom'to engage an extensible side handle member 20 and an extensibleend handle member 21, it being -undtrstood that upon axial contraction of said handle members, withfall four of the corner plates in casket cornenengaging positions that the entire handle construction will be drawn up to firmly embrace the casket and thus mount the handle unit on a particular casket.

The extent and. shape of the exterior vcorner faces on octagonal casketsdiifers with 'diiferent makes and sizes of caskets and it is, therefore, .within the concept of the present invention to provide adjustable corner engaging plates for my handle construction that will extend around and embrace the corner areas of each casket. To this end and with particular reference torFigs. 3 and 4 of the drawing, each corner plate has two over-lapping sections 22 and 23, each of which carries one'of the ears 18 and 19, respectively.4 Adjustable sliding movement is provided the sections by a pair of spaced apart pull-up bolts 24 and 25 having tool engaging, centrally located, squared head portions from which reversely threaded shanks project in opposite directions. Common threaded-ends of ,the pull-up bolts 24 and V25 are threadedly engaged .in followers 26-26 pivotally mounted upon section 22 of the plate whilst opposed common'threadedV ends of the pull-up bolts are threaded in followers 27-27 pivotally mounted upon section 23.0f said plate. Adjusted-positions of the sections 22 and 23 are maintained by means Vof bolts 28 anchored in the plate 22 and extending through elongated slots 29 formed in the plate 23, nuts on the ends of the -bolts being drawn .up against the plate-23 to securely clamp the sections in 4their adjusted positions. As best shown in Fig. 4 `a support plate 30 is mounted on the lower edge of the section 22 by means of an adjustable extension-in the form of a `bolt 31, said support plate serving to contact the .upper edge of the lower moulding 15 of a casket corner that has a vertical extent greater than the width of the plate 17 whereby to contact the lower moulding 15 and hold the plate lin proper position during the time that the adjustable handle construction is attachedto a casket body or is being mounted with reference te Figs; 3 and 4 itwiii be noted that a casket side wall engaging extension 32 is welded or otherwise fastened to the outer end of the plate section 22 and extends therefrom at right angles to the ear 18 and that a similar extension 33 is welded on the end of the plate section 23 at right angles to the ear 19. Thus the corner plate 17 may be adjusted to, closely itthe corner surfaces of a great number of casket forms, it being understood that the end extensions 32 and 33 on the extensible sections 22 and 23, respectively, of the Corner plate project beyond the actual corners of a casket to engage the side walls whereby the corner plates 17 embrace the casket corners and re-enforce the joints of the casket body at their bevelled corner portions.

Another form of my casket corner plate is illustrated in Fig. of the drawing wherein a plate is shown for use with a conventional rectangularly formed burialcasket body, it being noted that the plate has two sections 34 and 35, disposed at right angles to each other for engaging the walls 12 and 11, respectively, of the casket body at the corner thereof. Opposed handle engaging ears 36 and 37 extend at right angles from the sections 34 and' 35, respectively, of the plate and each engages an extensible handle 2t) and 21, respectively, in a manner identical with the corner plate 17 of the preferred form of invention.

The extensible handle construction and 21 is best illustrated in Figs. 3 and 6 of the drawing wherein it will be noted that a long threaded bolt 38 is provided with a cylindrical end portion 39 journalled in a hole 40 formed through the ear 19 of the corner plate 17, the extremity of the bolt beyond the journalled portion 39 having a head 41 preferably hexagonal in form for engagement with the suitable tool. The long threaded bolt 38 threadedly engages a follower sleeve 42 which is welded or otherwise secured to the interior end portion of a tubular handle 43. The end of the tubular handle 43 telescopes into an outer sleeve 44, said sleeve having its end liared outwardly and given an irregular shape at 45 to engage a rubber mounting ring 46 mounted on the ear 19 in a keeper 47 which is welded or otherwise fixed around its peripheral edge to the said ear. A longitudinal slot 148 is formed in the sleeve 44 facing the casket side thereof to receive a follower 149 in the form of a screw threaded in the handle 43 and projecting therefrom through the slot. This device precludes rotation of the handle during rotary movement of the bolt 38 whilst permitting the handle telescoping movement in said sleeve. All the remaining extensible connections between the side and end handles of my detachable casket handle are identical in construction and function and their structure need not 'be specifically described for an understanding of my invention.

With reference to Figs. l and 3 of the drawings it is contemplated that the corner plates be concealed from view by ornamental and decorative shields 147. These shields are provided on their interiors with inwardly projecting spring clips 48 which detachably engage the threaded portions of the draw-up bolts 24 and 25 to secure the shields in place. The shields are formed to fit over and cover the plates and are decorated in a manner to offer an appearance which adds to the extrinsic value of the burial casket on which my removable handle construction is applied'.

From the foregoing explanation taken in conjunction with the drawings it is believed that a comprehensive understanding of my invention may be had. When it is desired to apply my detachable handle construction to a particular casket it is first necessary to be sure that the extensible end and sid'e handles of the unit loosely encircle the casket. Next the corner plates 17 are adjusted to t each bevel corner of an octagonal casket or placed at the corners of a square casket as indicated in Figs. 3 and 5, respectively. When it has been determined that the corner plates snugly and exactly fit the corners of a casket the extensible side and enclv handles are in turn drawn up by applying a suitable tool to the bolt head 41 of each handle, the said procedure being continued until the corner plates bear securely against the corners of the casket and the extensible handles are in tension sutiicient to rmly and positively hold the corners in operative positions. Because the corners of the illustrated caskets are outwardly and upwardly. toward the open top of the casket the corner plates of the attached handle construction cannot slide or move upwardly on the casket body when the casket and its contents are carried by means of the handles, whilst the corner plates are prevented from sliding down by the corner support plates 30. The ornamental and decorative shields 147 are then clamped in position over the corner plates to secure an ornate and exceptionally strong removable handle construction for a burial casket. Before the burial casket is interred the casket handle unit may be quickly and easily removed from the casket and used over and over again on many sizes and forms of caskets.

It will be understood that modifications, within the scope of the appended claims, may be made in the design arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A removable handle construction for mounting on a burial casket having casket side and casket end walls interconnected at their ends to provide upwardly and outwardly flaring corner portions for the casket body, including in combination, a plate embracing and in surface mounted contact with each corner portion of the casket body, a first ear projecting from one end of each plate and disposed in an upstanding plane at right angles to the casket end wall, a second ear projecting from the opposed end of each plate and positioned in an upstanding plane at right angles to the casket side wall, an elongated handle having internally threaded, tubular end portions and extending between the first ears and between the second ears of adjacent corner plates, a draw-up bolt journalled in each ear against axial displacement and having a threaded end portion projecting into and in threaded engagement with the adjacent end portion of a handle, and tool operated means on the opposite end portion of the bolt for axially rotating the bolt.

2. A removable handle construction for mounting on a burial casket having casket side and casket end walls connected at their ends to provide upwardly and outwardly flaring corner portions for the casket body, including in combination, a plate embracing and in surface mounted contact with each corner portion of the Icasket body, a first ear projecting from one end of each plate and disposed in an upstanding plane at right angles to the casket end wall, a second ear projecting from the opposed end of each plate and positioned in an upstanding plane at right angles to the side wall of the casket, a tubular handle positioned lengthwise between the first and between the second ears of adjacent corner plates, a draw-up bolt journalled in each ear against axial displacement and having a threaded end portion projecting into the adjacent end of a tubular handle, a follower sleeve fixed to the interior of the adjacent end portion of the tubular handle and having internal threads formed thereon in engagement with the threaded bolt, and tool engaging means on the opposite end portion of the bolt for rotating the bolt on its axis.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 372,532 Froehlich Nov. l, 1887 2,106,695 Larson Jan. 25, 1938 2,810,947 Johnson Oct. 29, 1957 

